Planter.



PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908.

PATBNTED MAR. 24, 1908.

W. B. HAMPTON.

PLANTER.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 2, 1907.

W/TNESSES No. 883,014. PATENTED 1111111.24, 1908.

PLANTBR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908. W. B. HAMPTON.

PLANTBR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

l ma 1%,

lll!

W/TNESSES A TTOHA/EYSY UNITEDSTATES PATENT ,oFFIGE.

WILLIAM s. HAMPTON, or FREMONT, MISSOURI.

PLANTEB..

i Specification of Letters Patent.

retenue March' 24., 190s.

Appleman and ,my s, 190i. sum misstaan.

To' all whom y'it may concern.'

Be it known thatI, WILLIAM B. HAMPTON, a citizen of theUnited States, and a resident of Fremont, in the county of Carter anddurable in construction, and ada ted for the vplanting of corn and peas, both c aracters of seed belngdrop edy from the same seed box, the box being ivided and arranged to that end; that is to say, by the manipulation of a lever located at the seed box, which when moved in one directionwill causethe ma'- chine to plant corn on .when moved to another osition the rnac ine will lant both corn an peas, and further, when t elever is carried tof a third position only peas will be planted, and since a seed box of the character described is located at each side of the frame of the machine, the operator is enabled to plant one row of corn and one rowo eas, or plant corn and peas in both rows at t same time, or plant lcorn or peas 'in an desired, in either check row or dril Another purpose of theinvention is to provide ides for the check .row wire 4which will enabeLl the machine to be completely controlled thereby, or when. the check row wire is rendered inactive the dropping of the seed will' be under the' absolutey control of 'the .in action; and it is' av further pu The invention consists iii the novel -con-v struction and combination of the `several parts as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is'to be had to the accompanying drawings formingl cation, in which sinn ar characters .of refer:-

' ence indicate corresponding parts in all the gures. l Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe machine; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 isl a transverse section taken just in front of the,

axle looking to the rear; Fig. 4 is a vertical section'through the inner sldedportion of a seed drop box` and a longitu nal section manner a part of this specifi-- {through-the frameat said point, illustrating the dnving mechanism for the seed drop bo and the lever for controlling the character` of the seed to be dropped, the -view being drawn upon an enlarged scale; Fig. 5 isa central longitudinal section-'through the bed section of a seed drop boxg-,also drawn upon an enlarged scale; Fig. 6 is a vertical trans-f 'verse' section` taken practically on the line 6-7-6 lof Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a srmilarsection taken substantially onthe line 7--7 of Fi 5;

Fig. 8 is a `plan view of a portion of one o the l seed boxes with the inner covers in place;

Fig. 9 is a lan view of a portion of a seedl drop box, t e coversbein removed;Y 10 is avsection'al' side elevation ofi the base or bottom of a seed dro-p box, illustrating the direct driving mechanism for the seed disks andthe controlling lever for saidl disks;`

and Fig. 11 is a detail `section taken practicallv on the line 11--11 of'Fig'.. 10..

he frame ofthe machine is in two sections, namely, arear section A and a forwardsec# tion B. The rear section A consists of parallell side pieces 10 connected at their rear ends by a cross bar 1- 1. This frameA is snit ably mounted upon an axle 12 that extends. ,beyondthe sides of the frame, and on the outer ends of the said axle supporting wheels 13 are secured. ,A grooved pul'le `14 isv sel cured tothe axle 12v withinthe rame near the right-hand end ofthe axle, and at about the center of the axle a clutch 15 i's secured thereto, and opposite this' clutch la .sprocket wheel 16 is loosely mounted on the: axle 1,2, to be-capable of sliding to and from.

the clutch '15, -and the hub 17 of the driving sprocket wheel 16 is provided with a. chi face adapted for engagement with theaor said clutch 15, as is shown in F 2, and u that face of the driving sproc et whee 16 which is'opposite the clutchl 5, a semi-spher V ical rejection 18 is formed'.

Above the axle I12 a shaft `19 is'jrournaledn suitable bearings 20, located on the sides of the frameA, as is a'lso best shown in Fig. 2,

and between the ends of the shaft 19 an angular foot-lever 21.is secured, havin foot rests 22 at the outer ends of its mem ers, as is,

, when the said member is pressed downward toengag'e with the .projectioirl of the face of the'driving sprocket wheel 16, to force the driving s rocket wheel out of engagement with the c utch 15, so that the 'axle may then turn without turning the driving 's rocket wheel. The said driving sprocket W eel 16 is normally forced in directlon' of the clutch 15 by means of a'spring 26, that is coiled v around the axle 12, having bearing atits outer end against a collar 25 secured tosaid axle, as is shown'in Fig. 2. ,The shaft 19 is provided within theframe adjacent each end with a forwardly extending crank arm 26a,

and a lever 27 is secured to the said shaft 19 j, at its right-hand end so as to turn the shaft by the movement ofthe said lever, andthe lever 27 is provided with a thumb latch 28 that engages a notched se ment 29 extending up from thel right-hand si e member 10 of the rear frame A.

An upwardly extending yoke 30 is located at the rear portion of the said frame A, andv on the upper portion of the said yoke the driversseat 3 1 is secured so that the members of `the foot lever 21 are within convenient l,reach of the feet of the driver. When the foot lever 21 is operated, the thumb latch of the handlever27is released-from the segment 29, beingpermittedto engage again with the said segment after the necessary l-movement on the part of thev foot level` is ac complished.' A bracket 32-is secured to the right-hand uright member of the yoke 30, as

is shown in ig. .3, .and a shortv shaft 33 is 'ournaled in the said member and in the said racket, and on this shaft within the bracket a small pulley 33a is secured, connected by a -belt33D with the grooved pulley 14 on the axle l2, and at the inner end portion of the 'shaft 33 a crank arm 34 is', secured, the

outer member whereof is adapted to engage with the right-hand s ider-like head 35 of a drum 36 on which t e check row wire is wound. This drum 36 'is provided. with an aperture at eachl end, the aperture at the right hand end loosely receiving the inner end portion' of the short shaft 33, while the aperture at the left-hand end loosely receives an opposing shaft 37, thatA is passed through the other member of the yoke 30 and "through the medium of links 40, or their equivalents. A cross bar 41 connects the forward ends of the side members 39, and

transverse bars 42 and 43 suitably spaced, are made to cross the sideLmembers 39 of the said forward frame B and to extend to a point beyond the outer faces of the supporttrated inFig. 2. A hingeconnection 4,5 is

provided between the forward ends of the side ,members of the rear frame A and the rear cross bar 43 of the forward'frame B, so

that by operating the hand lever'27 the forwardl frame B may be raised and lowered,

and when the vsaid forward frame is raised, the foot lever 21-,will have been turned so as 'to bring itsl projection 23 invcontact with the projection 18 from the`driving sprocket wheel 16, to :render the latter loose upon'the axle12. y

A driving shaft 50 for the seed drop mechanism contained in the seed boxes' C, is journaled in suitable bearings 5()a located respectively on the side members 39 of the forward frame B between the front and rear cross bars 42 and 43, as is illustrated in Fig. 2. .The seed. lboxes C are located one at each side of the machineand are supported by theprojecting sections of the aforesaid cross bars 42 and 43, as is also shown in Fig. 2. A sprocket wheel 51 is secured to the said driving shaft50, and the sprocket wheel 51 is connected with the drifving sprocket wheel 16 by a chain belt 52. Slightly atthe rear of the drive shaft 50 and also between the transverse bars 42 and 43, a check row shaft 46 is journaled in suitable bearin s 46a, secured upon the side members 39 of t 'e forward frame B', as is also shown in Fig. 2, and this check row shaft 46 has a ratchet wheel 47 secured thereto adjacent the ri ht-hand side member 39 of the forward rame, and at each end of the shaft 46 a check row wheel or head D is secured to the lshaft 46, and the said check row wheels each that ra iate in pairs from the said ub, the s okes being in the shape of angle irons but tlieir outer ends at their inner edges are more orless inclined or convexed, as is shown in Fig. 2, for the ready reception of the check row wire and the customary projections thereon.

` A foot lever .53 is pivotally mounted upon 'the right-hand side member 10 of the rear frame A adjacent the rear end of the said frame, occup ing such position that the said lever 53 can he readily reached by the Tight foot of the driver, and this lever 53 is secured toandvoperates an inwardly extending cran-k `shaft 54, the said crank shaft 54 being pivotally connected withone end of a shiftmg or consist (preferably of ahub 48 and s okes 49 connecting rod 55, which extends to a point over the drive shaft 50 and is provided with a fork `56 at its forward end, that receives the upper end of a link 57, vpivotally attached to la bracket 58, extendin rearward from the right-hand portion oft e front transverse bar 42, as is illus-trated in both Figs. 1 and 2,

and at the fork 56 a dog 58'is pivoted to the connecting or shifting rod 55, which dog is adapted for engagement with the teeth of the `foot lever 453 the check row. sha vturned `at the will of the operator in order v to correct other small se 15" ence spring-controlled, Aas is ratchet wheel 47, so that by opcerating the 46 may be inaccuracies in the dropping of the seed. y

The seed boxes C .are preferably of the oval formation illustrated butl they may be other- Wise shaped if desired,'and each Seed box consists of an u pershell 59, and a base 60. A artition 61 ocated centrally within fthe she l 59, divides the seed boxes into two compartments or chambers c Iand c\tl11elcom4 partment'c beiendg ada ted to receive peas or p whe the com artment c' is adapted to receive corn, and t e seed box C is provided with a cover 62 for each of compartments, thev covers/'be' 'by prefer- Figs. 2"and 4. l

At the central portion' ofpeach compartment c and c( of the seed box a circular boss .is formed, the boss'in- ,thel compartment vc being designated as 63 and that in the compartment c as 63", and eachfboss is rovided with an upwardly extending centra -circular member 64, and a bolt 65 is passed through the bottom portion of 'each compartment into a hopper and through the upper central members of thel boss 63 and 63 to a point above said members 64, as is .best shown in Fig.` 5, and the upper portion of each bolt-65 is reduced in ldiameterl so as to form an angular shoulder 67 flush with the up er edge of the member v64v of the boss throng which the bolt is passed; the heads 66 of the bolts 'are suitably embedded inthe under face of the bottom of the seedbox. The upper end of yeach bolt isthreaded to recelve preferably a vwinged nut. 68. A runner oi" urrowl opener 69 is located 'beneath each seed box, the forward e'nds'lof the runners being upturned'in the customary manner, as is shown in Fi 1 and 4. These runners are supported by races 70 attached to their forward ends and to the front cross bar 42 of the forward frame, the braces 70, the. front ones being Vcarried downward and forward" from the said b'ar 42 and the rear ones fromv the said bar to an'en agement with a wider brace 71 that exten s dqwn from the rear cross bar 43. `The rear or vheel end of each runner 69 is bifurcated and the lower end of each rear brace 71 for a runner is also forked for attachment to the bifurcated heel portions of the runners, since' a seed delive chute 72 is passed atits delivery end throng they forked portion of thebrace 71 for each runner and down into the bifurcated heel portion of the runner, as is shown also in `i s. 1 and 4.`

he upper end-portions of these chutes 72 are widened so as to extend from the bottom of one compartment of a seed box to the corresponding portion of the bottom of the other il ustrated in compartment, is shown in 5, in order that a seed discharge opening produced in the bottom of each compartment will lead .into the top ofthe chute 72; these discharge openings are designated 74 and 75 and are best shown in Fig.l 5. T-he discharge opening 74 for the corn com artment c extends from the bottom upwar through the boss 63 in said com artment, Vand while, its outer wall is str ht its inner wall is downwardly and harge opening 74, asisiclearly shown in I 5 y A Adgate 77 is rovided at the lower end of the lscharge ute 72, and the said gate is provided at its hinge connection with the chute with an outwardlyextending arm 78, against which a spring` 791bears to normally keep the gate 77` closed. The gate 77 4is to be opened at desired intervals either through the action of the check row wire employed or by the' manual operation of the c eckrow shaft 46. v This opening action ofthe gate 77 -isaccomplished by pivoting a link 80 to the outer endl of the arm 78, which link in its turn vis 'attached to .a trip arm 81 thatk extends out from a hanger 82 at one side of the arm 81- is enga ed laterally by i ins or like projections 83 t atfextend from t e face of aI zontal alinement with the central extension membersV 64 ofthe said boss, as is shown particularly lin Fig. 5;

A seed drop disk D is mounted upon the vboss 63 in'the corn compartment c', being,

adapted t0 turn around the upwardly. extending member 64 of that boss, asis shown in Fig. 5, while a second `seed drop disk D is .similarly mounted in the compartment c upon the boss63", 'llhe lower central portions of these seed drop disks are chambered to a certain extent, as is shown in Fig. 5, so that they will'move with the least possible amount of friction. i The seed drop d1sk D isy provided with an annular depression or- `groove 87 in its upper face at its peripheral portion, and the seed d1-op disk Dl is provided with asimilar depression or groove 87 1, as is particularly shown in Fig. 9. .In the and extend. upward to about a point in hori- 95 chute 72, as is shown in Fig.5, and this trip ygrooved or depressed portion of the disk D a seriesof apertures 88 is formed, and these apertures constitute pockets each adapted to Y the receive a single grain of corn, and at one end of eachpocket the surface of thedisk in which pocket is'made is provided with a downwar inclination 88Fext'ending towardy the center ofthe pocket, as is shown in Figs. 6', 7

and,9. These pockets 88 are shown of rec'- tangular form and extend through the disk from top to bottom and are so placed that when the rotation of the disk D takes place they will be brought in registry 'one after the v tom of the `disk and corres ond in number and location to the pockets 1n the disk D, as

i is shown 'in Fig. 9, and each pocket 89 is provided with an mclined. wall 89a corresponding to the inclined wall l88a for the pocket 88.

A ring gear E is mounted to turn freely around the casing 86 for the seed drop disk D in the corn compartment c. This ring gear E .is provided* with teeth 90 at its upper peripheral portion and with an upper flange 91 that extends over the casing of each of the seed drop disks D and D as is shown in Fig. I5, and a second ring gear E is mounted to `turn around the casing 86a in the peas compartment c, as is also shown in Fig. 5, and this ring gear E is provided with peripheral teeth 90u at its lower exterior portionand with a flange 91a at its upper portioncorres onding to the flange 91 of the ring gear E. lhe ring gears are connected with the seed drop disks to which they belong in any suitable or approved manner, as for example, by forming tongues 92 in their flanges 91 and 91, whichl tongues enter recesses in the upper peripheral surface of the seed drop disks D and D', as is illustrated in Fig. 9.

'In connection with the two ring gears E and E, I employ a shifting pinion 93 which is located between the two ring gearsoand is capable of meshing with the teeth of both, and the partition 61 is cut away to permit of the free movement of the said shifting pinion. This shifting pinion 93 is secured to the upper end of a shaft 94 mounted to turn in suitable bea'rings'in the .bottom of the seed'box, as is shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The lower end of the shaft 94 is pivotally'attached to an enlargement 95 between the ends of a lever 96 that is pivotally attached to the forward transverse bar 42 of the forward frame B.

The rear end of the lever 96 is connected by a transverse bar 43 of the front frame, being located at the inner side of the rear end por-- notches, a rear notch 100, a central notch 101" and aforward notch 102. Whn'the lever 98 is in the rear notch 100 the shifting pinion -93 will have been carriedup just a sufficient distance to engage with the teeth on'the ring gear E in the peas chamber, and will'rotate that gear only and consequently peas Will be -the only seed supplied .to `the chute 72.

When the lever 98 enters the central notch 101 the shiftinglpinion 93 will have been carried upward a sufficient distance to engage with both the ring gears E and E", rotating both of them and consequently operating both seed droppin disks in the seed boxes and causing the p anting of both corn and peas. When the ever is carried forward and enters the forward notch 102', the shifting pinion 93 is brought in engagement only with the teeth 90 of the ring gear E and therefore only thecorn dropping disk D will be brought 1nto actlon. v

A false bottom C is rovided for each compartment c and c. T ese'false bottoms are removable and each' bottom consists of a central dome-like section 103 and an upwardly and outwardly inclined marginal section 104, the dome section being separated from the marginal section b an annular slot 105 of sufficient Width on y to permit the eorn to drop down edgewise, and the slots 105 in the false bottoms C are directly over the ockets in theseed dro disks covered by t e said bottoms. The bottoms are held in place by frictional en agement or otherwise by the side walls o the compartments in which they may be placed and byA means of the bolts /65 which ass through the dome Asections and lare he d in position thereon by the nuts 68. section of a vfalse bottom C are connected by opposing bridge brackets 106 and 107.; one bridge bracket 106'of an opening 105 1s provided, as is shown in Figs. 7 and 8, with a s ring linger 108 that extends downward 1nto tiie groove 87 or 87al of a seed drop disk and serves to force the seed to one side so that the seed will not crowd in entering the pockets of the disks. The opposing bridge racket 107 is provided with a spring finger 109 that likewise extends down into the annular groove 87 or 87a of a seed drop disk to clearLaway any super'lluity of grain, and to the rear of this clearing finger 109 a clearing dog 110 is pivoted beneath the bracket 107, as is particulary shown in Fig. G and this dog 110 will ride down the depressed walls of The dome section and the marginal the pockets in the seed drop disks and will I it to plant at the same time. The guide arm insure but one seed orlthe required number only, entering a compartment.

The shifting pinions 93 are operated by means of crown Wheels 111 which extend up through openings 112 in the bottom of the seed boxes and engage with the pinions 90 and 90a, as is shown best in Figs. 9 and 11, and these crown wheels 111 are secured upon the drive shaft 50.

The check row Wire not shown is carried from the reel 36 over a guide pulley113, supported by a bracket 114 attached to the lefthand side of the rear frame A, and from thence the check row wire is carried to a guide pulley 115, located at theinner end of .a reversible guide arm 116, that is pivotally mounted on a pin 117 at the centr portion of the forward transverse bar 42, and from the pulley 115 the check Wire is passed over a second ulley 118, adjacent the outer end of the shi ting guide arm 116, and from the pulley-118 the check row wire is carried to a stake in the field or to yany convenient anchorage desired.

y In winding up the check row Wire on the reel 36 the wire is guided along the reel by means of an angular lever 123 located beneath the drivers seat, being tached to a bracket 124 extending from the rear end of the frame A, as is particularly shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and at the rear end of the lever 123 a horizontal guide pulley 125 is mounted which is at the rear of vthe reel 36 and a link 126 is pivotally and removably attached to the forward end of the lever 123 and to an a le hand leverv 127 preferably fulcrumed on t e aforesaid bracket 114. By means of the lever 127, the check row wire having been passed over the guide pulley 125, the wire is made in winding to travel from end to end of the reel or drum 36. When the lever 123 is not needed, the link 126 is disconnected'therefrom andthe said lever 123 is moved out ofthe Way.

In the operation, the machine will plant and stretch the wire at the same time when it starts planting in the field. It Will be observed that the shifting guide arm 116 may be carried to the left or to the right hand side of the machine, as may` be required. When finishing a field, the guide arm 116 is removed from the front frame Band is placed on the bracket 124 over the lever 123, and on the same pin that holds the lever 123 in placeat the rear of the frame A. The check row wire being stretched in front of the machine, it passes over the check row Wheel, then to the rear of the machine and around the pulley 118 on the guide arm 116, then around a pulley 125 on the lever 123 and is attached to the rear wheel 36. While the machine is in motion, it winds up the Wire,

' drawing it across the check row wheel, causing pivotally at- I. 116 is not used at any other time than at the if first passage through a Wheel and While placed on the front of the machine to stretch the wire across the iield and plant at the same time. Itis then turned out ofthe Way during the rest of the lanting, except the last trip through the iie d, when it is placed on the rear of the machine to guide the wire, 'While Winding u the wire and planting the last row before riving from the field. By the use of this guide arm, no time or labor Will-.be lost in'stretchin or in taking up the check row Wire; the p anter will do 1t all While planting. Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters ,Patent,-. l

1. In a planter, a seed box having separate compartments therein, a discharge'opening for each compartment, a seed dischar e chute receiving material from each of said openings, a seed drop diskin each compartment, a-frear controlling the movement of into compartments, each compartment havin a separate seed delivery opening, a seed de ivery chute common to both of said openpartment, the pockets of `the disks being arranged to consecutively register with the respective discharge openings in said compartments, and means for revolving said disks independently or collectively.

4. In a planter, a seed drop box divided into compartments, each compartment havin a separate seed delivery o ening, a seed de ivery chute common to bot i of said openings, 'a rotatable seeddrop disk in each compartment, a gear secured to each of the said disks, the teeth of the gear on one disk being of said gears.

5. In a planter, a seed drop box divided into compartments, each compartment having a separate seed delivery opening, a seed of the disk gears or in engagement with bothk each of the disks, a driving pinion for the 3. In aplanter, a seed drop box divided ings, a rotatableseed drop disk in each comat a greater elevation than the teeth on the delivery chute common to both of said openings, a rotatable seed drop disk in each compartment, a gear secured to each of the said disks, the teeth of the gear on one disk being at a greater elevation than the teeth on the gear of the opposing disk, a drive shaft, a pinion driven from the drive shaft, and means for raising and lowering the pinion to bring it in engagement with one or the other of the disk gears or in engagement with both of said gears, a false bottom for each compartment located over the disk therein, each of the said false bottoms being provided with a. seed exit opening arranged corres ondingly to and over theseed pocketsin the isks, and spring fingers extending down from the opening in the false bottom, the said lingers projecting into both of the pockets in the disks as saiddisks are revolved.

y 6. ln a planter, a seed drop boX divided into compartments, each compartment having a separate seed delivery opening, a seed delivery chute common to both of said openings, a rotatable seed drop disk in each comartmentL each drop disk being provided ith annularly arranged pockets, and a groove in its upper face within which roove thel pockets are located, means for riving either diSkseparately or both diskscollectively, a false ottom for each compartment, each false bottom having an opening for the exit of the seed, registering with and being over the groove intlie seed drop disk that it covers, and spring lingers extending down from the said false bottoms, which iingers enter the grooves in the said disks.

7. In a planter, a seed drop box divided into compartments, each compartment havin@ a separate seed delivery o ening, a seed delivery chute common. to bot oi said openings, a rotatable seed drop 'disk in each compartment, each drop disk being providedV with annularly arranged pockets, and a groove in its upper face within which aroove the pockets are located, means for riving either disk separately or both disks collectively, a 'false bottom for each compartment, each raise bottom having an openinfT for 'the exit of the seed, registering with an. being over the groove in the seed drop disk that it covers, spring lingers extending .down from the said `false bottoms, which enter the grooves the said disk, and pirateo. ieveling devices also carried by 'the false bottoms and adapted to enter the said grooves in the disks an'E as in the di'skpass beneath it, seed therefrom.

El, in. a planter, the combination with a boi; divided into compartments, each compartment being provided with an independent discharge opening, a chute common to both discharge openings, a seed drop disk the pockets iiorce surplus mounted torevolve in each compartment,

asaoia each seed drop disk' being provided with an annular groove in its upper face, pockets in said grooves, each pocket having an end wall downwardly inclined, and means for driving either disk se arately or bothdisks collectivel. of a false bottom located over eachv seed drop disk, each false bottom consisting of a central dome shaped section and an upwardly flaring outer section, the twosections being separated by an annular opening, Which'o enings register withthe grooves in the saidpdisks, bridge brackets `crossingthe openings in the said false bottoms, connecting the-two sections, s rin i'ingers extending down from the sai bridge brackets into the grooves of the disks, and Gravity cclearing devices carried by the said bridge brackets and adapted as the disks revolve to insure the pro er uantity of seed only, entering the sai poc ets. 9.*-ln a lanter, the combination with a seed drop ox divided into compartments, each compartment being rovided with an independent o enin a c ute common to bothy 'of the sai( disc arge openings, a check roWshaft, a trip wheel carried b the check row shaft, a gate for the said c ute, and a controlling nger for the said gate, operatedy by the said trip Wheel, of a seed drop disk mounted to revolve in each com artment of the vseed drop boxes, each see( drop disk being provided With an annularroove in its upper face and pockets in sai grooves, a gear securedto each of the said disks, the teeth of one-gear being at a greater distance `from the bottom of the seed boxes than the teeth of the o posin gear, a pinion adapted to mesh with ilie sai gears, means for raising and lowering the pinion to engage with the gear of either disk or the gears of both disks, a drive shaft, and a driving connection between the drive shaft and the said pinion.

l0. In a planter, the combination With a seed dropl box divid'ed into compartments, each compartment being provided. with an ilo independent o ening, a chute common to both of the said discharge openings, a cheek row shaft, a trip wheel carried by the check row shaft, a gate Jfor the said chute, and a controlling iin er for the said gate, operated by the. said trip wheel, oic a seed drop disk mounted to revolve in each compartment of the seed drop boxes, cach seed dropdisk being provided with an annular groove in its ripper `faire and pockets in said grooves, a gear secured to each of the said disks, the teeth of one gear being at a greater distance 'from thc 1oottom of the seed boxes than the teeth oi the op Y osing gear, a pinion adapted to mesh with t `.e said gears, means for raising and lowering the pinion to engage with the gear of either disk or the gears of both disks, a drive shaft, and a driving connection between the drive shaft and the said pinion, a lever adapted to loe operated by the operator of the machine, a crank shaft carried by the said lever, e ratchet wheel secured on the check row shaft, a red. ivoted to the lever shaft, and a dog 'carrie by the said rod'for engagement with the said ratchet Wheel, whereby to tum lthe check row shaft at the option of the operator.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specific-ation in the presence of two subscribinv Witnesses.

y ILLIAM B. HAMPTON.

Witnesses:

P. S. TAOKETT, vJ. W. BOCKMON. 

